


Flight Of The Angel

by DrkVrtx



Category: Hikari Shinwa | Kid Icarus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-30
Updated: 2013-03-30
Packaged: 2017-12-06 23:13:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/741294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrkVrtx/pseuds/DrkVrtx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pit wakes one day to find that his wings have finally grown. He can fly at last, and Skyworld lifts its voice in jubilation on his behalf. But there is one who dwells in sadness. As Pit learns the freedom his wings grant him, the Goddess Palutena fears that she has lost her most precious angel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

She had known it was coming. In truth, she shouldn’t have been surprised, because she knew from the moment Pit was laid into her arms, unconscious with scorched stumps at his back, what would eventually take place. The only thing unknown to her was how long it would take before Pit woke one day and found himself truly free. When his dark twin dipped him into the Rewind Spring, Palutena knew deep within herself that whatever it was that had stunted the growth of his wings had been reverted. He would fly one day, she told herself, and yet when that day came, she wasn’t ready.

* * *

A pair of angels serving as advisers stood alongside her as they pored over the large, unfurled roll of parchment hovering silently in the air. Upon it were drawn thousands of lines, depicting the detailed layout of Overworld in the wake of Medusa and Hades' combined efforts to shatter the world of Man. Large swaths of land had been reduced to ash, cities left in disrepair. Both Hades and Medusa had struck Overworld with hammer blows that would be felt for years to come, and it was up to Palutena to aid humankind in recovering from the damage wrought upon them.

She stood with an arm curved around her waist whilst the other rested atop it, her chin perched upon the heel of her palm as she listened to the angels. The stark black lines upon the parchment shifted and faded and realigned themselves as the angels manipulated the map according to their suggestions. One of the more pressing issues was that of an impending famine, vast in its reach. Palutena realised that she would likely need Viridi's help in order to restore the fertility of the land, and she had no illusions about how difficult it would be to persuade the Goddess of Nature to do such a thing. Viridi still loathed humankind, and Palutena counted every day that her fellow Goddess did not unleash her own wrath upon them as a blessing.

"…Lady Palutena…"

The Goddess looked up from the parchment as she heard her name being called as though from a great distance. The angels looked up along with her as the voice – a familiar one – spoke her name once more, though with a little more volume.

"…Lady Palutena!"

Palutena recognised the voice as belonging to one angel in particular as that angel burst through the doors of the throne room. However, burst was perhaps the wrong way to express his entrance. It would have better to say he flew.

Pit _flew_ into the room _._

"Lady Palutena!" the angel cried out, his voice erupting from his lips with unmistakeable joy. "Lady Palutena, look!"

The Goddess indeed looked – she had no choice but to. Pit soared around the throne room in a wide circle, dipping low as he stretched his arms out to either side of him and almost clipped the peak of Palutena's decorated throne. White wings flapped furiously to keep him aloft, barely strong enough to bear his weight, but to Pit that didn't matter.

"Pit, be careful!" she chided him as he flashed by overhead and the gust of wind that trailed in his wake shook the parchment held steady by her power. Fellow angels had begun to gather at the now wide open doors to the throne room, looking in to watch Pit almost crash to the ground in an attempt to land. He merely gathered his feet again and ran around the room and the Goddess, his body overflowing with excitement.

"Lady Palutena," he said, coming to a stop before her as she moved the parchment to one side out of possible harm's way, "did you see? I can fly!"

"I saw it, Pit. I saw it," she said. And that was all she could say, for the shock of it drove every other word from her mind and left her speechless in its wake.

The angel grabbed her hands and sang with joy, beating his wings as he bounced on the balls of his feet. Stunned, Palutena stood motionless and silent as angels poured into the room first to see what the commotion was about, and then to heartily congratulate Pit as the news came to light. He finally let go of her hands to show the growing audience the good news, making another circuit about the throne room with joyous passion.

The Goddess could only look on as he beat his little wings and his face shone with the purest of ecstasies. A cry of jubilation was lifted from the angels all about her, and though she eventually laughed and smiled, her heart would not sing along with them.

 


	2. Chapter 2

It took just a week before Pit's new wings fully matured, growing to an impressive size so that even on the rare occasion when they were folded down against his back, their curved tips almost dragged along the ground. During their short and rapid duration of growth however, Pit was required to be continually coaxed down from the air as he threatened to exert his body far more than it could manage. Physically, he still needed to get used to fact that he now had wings. As much as his excitement filled him to overflowing, it didn't serve to fuel his body as well as the citizens of Skyworld often teased.

"I can't wait. I can't wait. I can't wait!" Pit exclaimed as he positively bounced around the throne room, fluttering his maturing wings with glee. Palutena glanced up from the reflecting pool, distracted.

"I'm going to fly to Overworld and visit Magnus. Oh, maybe I can find that little girl who helped me out when I was a ring. I wonder if I can find that dog again too…"

The Goddess sighed and returned her eyes to the shimmering surface of water, upon which she could see the world of which her angel spoke. The doors to the throne room were once again shut and a certain dimness cast upon it so that she could see with clarity into the pool. She rested her arms along the edge of the large, gilded bowl, peering into its depths. Trying to, at least, for Pit continued to speak at the top of his lungs as he bounced joyously around her, declaring the many places he wanted to visit once his wings and body were strong enough.

"Pit," Palutena said in a slightly exasperated tone. "Please, calm down a little."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Pit apologised graciously, slowing down for a peaceable moment. "It's just…I'm so pumped! I can't wait to show Phosphora I can fly."

And then he went back to bouncing around the room, this time declaring the many places he and Phosphora could now travel to together. Palutena looked into the waters of the reflecting pool but no longer saw anything but her own expression. She looked more irritated than she would admit to feeling.

Once the fight with Hades had been finished and the scourges of the Underworld sent scurrying back to their dark domain, Phosphora, the commander of Viridi's army, had started to visit Skyworld. More specifically, she came to visit Pit.

Her playful flirting with him before they were forced to fight each other had evidently been a prelude to something more. Palutena quickly drew the impression that she was attracted to him, though she hadn't been sure as to Pit's feelings in kind. Phosphora seemed genuine, and Palutena – though somewhat wary – could not see any legitimate reason to stop Pit from seeing and spending time with Phosphora when she came to visit. If anything, it would be good for him to make a new friend.

It surprised her how quickly the two of them grew close to one another. Though they argued and bickered and snapped at each other in what seemed almost every moment that they were in each other's company, Palutena could see the depth and strength of the bond that was developing between them, even if they were not ready to admit it to themselves. Phosphora made every excuse to visit Skyworld and see Pit. His visits in kind to the aerial fortress the Goddess of Nature called home were less frequent.

He, of course, required Palutena's help to allow him to fly down to Overworld to see Phosphora, and she would grant him the Power of Flight on most occasions. Sometimes, however, Pit asked her whether he could go only to find that she was tired and could not grant him her power. She would watch as disappointment clouded his features after she told him this, and he would remain somewhat glum for the remainder of the day. Palutena had to wonder whether her lie was truly worth it – and why she lied to him in the first place.

She had first told it driven by exasperation, her temperament frayed by the ever increasingly complex matter of restoring Overworld.

_"No. Not today. I'm sorry, Pit, but I'm tired and I don't think I have the strength to get you there and back again."_

_"Oh," he said, his eyes dimming in the wake of her response. "Maybe another day then."_

_"Another day,” she promised._

She had spoken without thinking, and only after Pit had left her did she begin to feel a sense of guilt creep up on her. It was difficult for her to justify each lie she told after that. She did not deny him often, but that she denied him at all began to plant and cultivate seeds of doubt within her. Soon, however, he would be able to make the journey by himself. Palutena saw herself frown.

Once she permitted Phosphora to visit Skyworld, she had begun to see less and less of Pit. As Phosphora's visits grew more frequent, he was frequently absent from her presence. She had never forced Pit to dwell in her presence; he had always done so willingly, and so she did not understand why she felt the way she did. Pit had other duties that kept him from spending time with her, and with this she had no qualm. She had thought nothing of it in the first place. Looking into the pool at her own reflection, Palutena hesitated to ask herself a question she found she couldn't finish.

_Am I…?_

When Pit was not with Phosphora, there was little else he spoke of beside her. It was sweet and endearing to hear him speak about her, and Palutena couldn’t help but smile. But gradually, her smile lost its joy. Sadness stole over her, and her smile was a tired one. There were days when she inexplicably wanted nothing more than to silence him, but that would be cruel. So she let him speak, and slowly his passionate voice became a dull drone that she learned to tune out.

Pit was soon to have his wings, soon to have his freedom. She found herself attempting to refute that which she knew: she wouldn't see much of him any longer. The thought brought a frightening, fleeting shadow to her expression and she gave a start a moment later when she saw it.

"Pit," she said, standing upright and moving away from the reflecting pool. "I think I'm finished for the day."

"Great," he said as the Goddess returned light to the room. "What shall we do now?"

Palutena started to smile at the question. She supposed that she should begin to treasure the moments when he asked her such a thing.

"Oh, I know!" Pit exclaimed. "I have some neat new tricks to show you, Lady Palutena. You'll love them!"

"I'm sure I will," the Goddess replied.

* * *

It was the first time he had gone out on a mission since his wings matured. Though they had defeated Hades in a crucial, deciding battle and the God's corporeal form destroyed at Pit's hand, the Lord of the Underworld still remained alive, though Palutena could not narrow down the form he now took. What she knew for certain was that Hades was considerably weakened. There would be no direct move from him again for quite some time. However, that did not change the fact that he still held the reins of the Underworld, and he had stirred its depths surreptitiously in an attempt to test her reaction.

Her reaction, of course, was to immediately send Pit down to the Overworld to quell the small uprising of the Underworld's host.

She stood once more at the edge of the reflecting pool, watching over Pit as he soared high above the clouds. And she could do nothing but watch him, for he flew now by his own strength and the difference in his manner as he did so was plainly evident. No longer restrained by the Power of Flight and in full control of his movements, Pit flashed across the sky with dazzling energy as a horde of Underworld creatures rose to intercept him. It was an impressive display of skill and agility, and perhaps Palutena would have appreciated it if she were not permanently anxious for him.

Her hands gripped the edge of the patterned bowl, the skin of her knuckles growing pale as Pit darted perilously close between creatures who gnashed their jaws, hungry for his blood. He looped through the air and pulled his body through sharp turns, narrowly avoiding the precise projectiles of several Monoeye. All the while, golden arrows flashed through the air, launched and guided by his astute hand to their target. It was more than plain to see that he was competent, in fact, Palutena had never witnessed such a display from him before, but in her anxiety all that she could see was sheer recklessness.

"Pit, to your left!"

"Thanks," the angel said as he swerved aside and hit an arrow home in the skull of a Keron.

"You need to slow down," she told him. "Be aware of what's going on around you, Pit."

"I know. Don't worry about me, Lady Palutena," Pit returned as he rolled in the air, facing up towards the heavens and giving her a wide grin and playful salute. Palutena only chewed on her lower lip, her eyes widening a moment later as she saw a trio of Monoeye bearing down on the angel.

"Pit!"

"I've got it," the angel said smoothly, flipping over and with casual ease dispatching the Monoeye.

"On your right," Palutena called even as Pit turned in that direction, arrow and bow at the ready.

"I know," he called back to her, and in her constant worry she missed the subtle edge to his voice.

As she saw several Keron circle around and approach him from behind, Palutena unconsciously reached for her power to alter his path – but of course, nothing happened.

"Pit, bank left." she told him instead, in that instant wishing she had control over his flight. "Hurry! They're trying to flank you."

Pit was already moving, slicing through the air as he avoided a flurry of projectiles. "Lady Palutena –"

"To your right – look out!"

"I _know_!" Pit shouted, unleashing a furious volley of arrows. "I can see them myself!"

Palutena fell silent, straightening her pose in surprise as she heard clearly the anger and annoyance in his tone. Her grip upon the edge of the bowl loosened as a thousand thoughts fled from her mind, save one.

_I don't need your help._

He as good as said it himself. She could not hear the words in any other voice but his. Her body moved of its own accord as she dwelt in a daze and she recovered from it in time to find that she had half turned away from the reflecting pool.

She wanted to walk away. Pit didn't need her help. If he had not said it, he had most definitely shown her so. The urge to simply walk away rose suddenly from unbidden depths and filled her thoughts. She quelled it only at the last moment, turning back to the pool. But she said nothing as she watched him cut his way across the sky.

Soon, the battle was at an end, and what remained of the Underworld's host fled to the ground to rally against Pit's imminent assault upon them. A tense silence stretched between the angel and the Goddess, and Palutena could not summon the desire to break it. There were words she should have said, she knew, but they remained stubbornly locked behind her lips. She was only trying to help him.

"I'm sorry, Lady Palutena," Pit said eventually as he glided through the air. "I didn't mean to yell."

The Goddess didn’t speak for a long moment.

"Let's just deal with the Underworld, Pit."

 


	3. Chapter 3

Phosphora had been looking everywhere for him, but the angel eluded her. She searched the Temple gardens and walked through the streets of the city that lay at the foot of the Temple, seeking but not finding him. Growing somewhat irritated, Phosphora assumed Pit was intentionally hiding from her – a game he liked to play now and then and happened to be annoyingly good at. She cast furtive glances over her shoulder but did not see the angel peeking around any corners as he tried to sneak up on her. She ran again through her mental checklist and realised that she hadn't followed up on perhaps her most reliable option. If Pit was to be found anywhere, it was with his Goddess.

Entering the Temple, Phosphora endeavoured to find Palutena and thus, she thought, Pit. She returned the greetings offered to her by other angels, asking them for directions afterwards. Eventually, she came upon the Goddess of Light, walking towards her as she turned a corner. Four angels of her royal guard served as her entourage, and the Goddess herself walked with her staff of office in hand. Phosphora hesitated momentarily in her approach, however, when she saw Palutena's expression subtly change as her eyes fell upon her.

"Lady Palutena, good morning," Phosphora said as she inclined her head respectfully.

"Phosphora, what can I do for you?" the Goddess said as she came to a stop. She offered her a smile that gave her pause. There was little warmth in Palutena's gaze, and her smile was little more than polite. Slightly unnerved, Phosphora glanced away. At the same time, she realised that the Goddess' entourage did not consist of one particular angel.

"I…I was just wondering if you knew where Pit was", she answered. "I thought he would be in your company."

"Pit's comings and goings are his own affairs," Palutena said plainly. "I would have assumed that he was with you, but seeing as that is not the case, I'm afraid I cannot tell you where he might be."

"Oh," Phosphora said, uneasy as she didn’t fail to notice the subtle sharp tone Palutena spoke with. "Perhaps he is training the Centurions."

A certain edge rose to Palutena's smile. "If you find him at his duties, then you are in luck. Forgive me, Phosphora, but I must leave you to your search. I am quite busy lately."

"Of course," Phosphora replied, bowing her head once more and stepping aside to clear the Goddess' path.

Palutena strode past her with her entourage in tow, the click of her staff gradually fading as they turned a corner. Phosphora kept her head inclined until the Goddess disappeared from her sight. Her eyes were troubled when she lifted them again.

* * *

The view from the islet was incredible, and Phosphora was enchanted by it. Pit had led her here, and seemed to be greatly enjoying merely watching her face as she took in Skyworld from this new and unique vantage point. The islet floated high above the sprawling city, allowing her to look down and truly appreciate its size. The city itself sat upon a vast platform that was only truly visible at its boundaries where the closely tucked together buildings began to spread out. Palutena's Temple was situated at the head of the city, and at its peak stood a grand statue of the Goddess, spreading wide wings of shimmering crystal over her abode.

Phosphora looked on as the clouds were tinted golden by the light of the sun, an innumerable amount of smaller islets and larger islands drifting peaceably through the sky. She could make out the shapes of other angels going about their daily lives, each of them seemingly oblivious to her and Pit's presence high above them.

"So, what do you think?" Pit asked with a knowing grin on his face as he turned to her.

"I think it's beautiful," she answered honestly. "I'm surprised you managed to find this islet all the way up here. No other angel seems to want to look this high."

"I've been exploring Skyworld," Pit said, fluttering his wings at his back with pride. "I never realised how big it was."

"Well, I'd assume Skyworld would pretty much be the same size as Overworld, Pit. Think about it. Its population is just centralised here in and around this city."

"Oh…that makes sense," he said. "I'd never thought about it like that actually."

Phosphora shook her head and smiled. She shuffled a little closer to the angel and leaned against his shoulder. It made her grin to think of the times when he would jump and blush furiously whenever she settled against him.

"You can't stay still now that you have your wings, huh?" she said as he nestled his cheek against her hair.

"How can I?" he said with a tone of incredulity. "It feels amazing – more than amazing – to finally be able to fly."

"It'll get mundane for you eventually," Phosphora teased.

"Um…mundane?"

"Dull. Boring," Phosphora explained simply. Pit seemed to reel in shock at the mere suggestion.

"No way," he said adamantly. "I'm finally free to go wherever my heart desires," he declared romantically.

Phosphora smirked. "That so?"

"Well, for starters we wouldn't be up here if I couldn't fly," Pit said.

"Fair enough," Phosphora allowed. "You being able to fly does let us spend time together a little more privately."

"Exactly," Pit said as he nodded against her. "Now I can finally train the Centurions properly in aerial combat. I can go wherever I want without having to bother Lady Palutena for the Power of Flight, and I don't have to worry about my wings burning up every five minutes. There's nothing better than being able to fly by myself."

"Nothing at all?"

"Nope," Pit said confidently until he recognised Phosphora's tone and backtracked. "Uh, wait. Was that a trick question?"

Phosphora merely burst into laughter at his puzzled expression. "Nevermind," she said. "You know, your brother has been pretty peeved since he found out your wings have finally grown."

Pit winced. "I noticed he's been avoiding me whenever I visit."

"Hmm. He isn't pleased about it in the slightest," Phosphora told him. "There isn't a moment where he isn't pestering Lady Viridi to let him go to the Underworld and find the Rewind Spring for himself."

Pit wrinkled his brow. "She won't let him go?"

"You know what Pittoo is like. I think Lady Viridi is afraid he will up and leave the moment he regains the ability to fly by himself."

"I don't know," Pit said. "Pittoo decided to go with you guys rather than stay in Skyworld. If he wanted to leave, I'm pretty sure he would have found a way to do it by now."

"Perhaps," Phosphora said. "Besides, even if he is miserable most of the time, it's nice to have another pair of hands to help out. I can finally concentrate fully on managing the army."

"Lady Viridi sends Pittoo on missions?"

"Now and then," Phosphora said, "in between arguing with him and giving out death threats." She smiled. "Actually, I don't think there is a moment that goes by where those two aren't bickering over something."

"Sounds like us sometimes," Pit laughed.

Phosphora was silent for a moment, listening to his chuckle. "Yeah, it kinda does."

Pit remained oblivious to the tone of her voice as she leaned into him once more, and in comfortable silence they looked out over the city of Skyworld.

"Pit?"

"Yeah?"

"Is Lady Palutena okay with us? I mean with you spending time with me."

Pit straightened and turned to look at her. "What do you mean?"

"I…it's just…actually, nevermind," Phosphora eventually said.

Pit frowned at her. "I'm sure she is," he said, "she's never had problem with it. Why, is something wrong?"

"Well, I'm probably imagining it," Phosphora said with an unnatural laugh. "Sometimes she doesn't look particularly happy to see me."

"Hmm, maybe you just keep catching her in a bad mood? She's been pretty busy lately."

"Yeah, that could be it."

"You know what, I'll talk to her," Pit said suddenly.

Startled, Phosphora sat up. "No. Pit, it's alright. It's nothing. Don't say anything to her."

"Don't worry," Pit said with a confident smile, "I'm sure it's nothing anyway, but I don't want you to feel uncomfortable being here."

"I…Pit, please be _subtle_ about it," Phosphora said helplessly.

"Relaaax," he said, lifting and gesturing with his hand. "I'll smooth the whole thing over in no time, you'll see."

* * *

Pit burst through the throne room doors, breathing heavily after pelting down the corridors of the Temple to reach it. Inside, he found the Goddess, in predictable fashion standing at the edge of the reflecting pool and leaning over the large bowl to peer into its depths. She barely shifted her eyes to glance up at him despite the manner of his entrance.

"Hello, Pit," she said in a polite tone. "What can I do for you?"

At the back of his mind, Pit took note that there was something odd about the manner in which the Goddess had just spoken to him. However, for the moment he was caught up in the surprise of having gone to the training grounds and findng it utterly empty of the squadron of Centurions he expected to be there. Several angels he crossed paths with on the way here were only able to tell him that the Centurions had not been seen at the grounds in the first place.

"Lady Palutena, a group of Centurions I was supposed to be training with today have gone missing,"

The Goddess displayed none of the shock and concern he had expected.

"They are not missing," she said simply.

Puzzled, the angel nonetheless felt a sense of tension ebb slowly from his body at her words.

"Then, where are they?"

"I have sent them to the Underworld," Palutena replied without looking at him. "I asked them to observe the level and nature of its activity and report back to me."

Surprise returned to the angel's features, and when he spoke his voice was indignant.

"I am the captain of your guard and the commander of the Centurion forces, Lady Palutena. You're supposed to tell me first before –"

"I am 'supposed to'?" the Goddess cut through his words.

She turned her eyes to him and stood to her full height, and Pit balked at the expression she wore. Her emerald gaze was cool upon him, her lips pressed thin and her customary smile utterly absent.

"I am 'supposed to'?" she said again, her voice cold and powerful.

She did not move, but Pit was suddenly overcome with the feeling that the Goddess was approaching him, bearing down on him with an expression that he would never have imagined she would grace him with. With few words and the manner in which she glared at him, Pit realised that she was doing something she had never done before. She was reminding him of his place.

She was a Goddess, and he was a mere angel in her service.

In an instant, he felt the wedge driven between them. Blinking in dazed confusion, Pit dipped his head, his wings pressed flat against his back as he found himself unable to meet her eyes any longer.

"I…Forgive me, my Lady."

His tongue uttered the unfamiliar honorific without his conscious thought. It felt and sounded alien to him. It was a term of address that had not left his lips since the first days in which he had known the Goddess. He dared to lift his eyes again and found that she had not moved nor looked away from him.

"You are indeed expected to train the Centurions on a regular basis," she told him tonelessly. "However, if you remember, I specifically asked you to make yourself available today for the errand which I was instead forced to send the Centurions on when you did not show up."

Pit felt his jaw threaten to drop. He lowered his head, fleeing from her hard, cool glare.

"I'm sorry, my Lady. I forgot…"

"That's fine," the Goddess said in a voice that cut through him. "I am glad you do not deny it. Of course, it is completely up to you how you spend your time, Pit, whether that is attending to your duties or exploring the length and breadth of Skyworld to your heart's content instead."

"I'm sorry," Pit murmured as the Goddess finally turned away from him, his cheeks hot with shame.

"Is there anything else you wish to discuss with me?" she asked, leaning over the reflecting pool once more and the light that danced upon its surface failed to spark any warmth in her gaze.

There _was_ something he wished to discuss. It had been several days since he told Phosphora he'd speak with the Goddess on her behalf, and he hadn’t gotten around to doing it yet. The tone of her voice, however, clearly told him that their exchange of words was at an end. She did not wish to discuss _anything_ with him.

Pit swallowed the hard lump in his throat. "No, my Lady," he said softly.

"Then you may leave."

She dismissed him, just like that. She did not look up at him again, even when he stood utterly still for a long moment as though waiting for her to announce that this was all an elaborate joke. Her eyes hardened when he lingered however, and so Pit bowed his head low and turned to leave the room.

The doors swung shut in his wake.

 


	4. Chapter 4

"Pit, what's going on?"

They were standing in a street that passed directly in front of the Temple, their view of the building for the most part unobstructed as angels walked by them. They tucked themselves close to a wall and Phosphora spoke in a low voice to him.

"I don't know," he said with a helpless shrug. "Lady Palutena has never acted like this before; I don't get it."

The angel turned his head and gave the Temple a mournful look. Three weeks had passed since Palutena had dismissed him from her throne room. Her attitude towards him had become stony, exchanging few words with him outside of what she deemed necessary to tell him. He in kind had become both daunted to be in her presence and anxious to know what had driven the wedge clean between them. The state of their relationship was starkly different from only a few weeks ago, where he gave not a thought to the ways and means with which he approached and interacted with the Goddess. Now, he felt that what existed between them was stiff and brittle, ready to break if he uttered a mere word out of turn.

"She won't speak to me," he said softly. "If she does, it's usually to remind me of this duty and that responsibility. Even then, she's been…delegating?" He looked to Phosphora for confirmation that he had used the word correctly. She had taken to teaching him some of the more flowery vocabulary Palutena was often fond of using.

"Right," he continued, "she's been delegating some of my responsibilities to other angels. I only train with the Centurions twice a week now."

"Why would she do that?"

Pit shrugged. "I don't know. Well, I suppose I haven't been keeping up with my duties recently as well as I should have." He shuffled his feet with guilt. "I found out that she has had to call on other angels and even the Centurions when I haven't been where I was supposed to be."

Phosphora laid a hand on his arm as the angel's expression fell. "Pit, this isn't normal – for either of you. When did this all start?"

Pit shrugged again, but then appeared to take a moment to think about the question. "I guess I thought I noticed a few things after my wings grew. I didn't think anything of it right then, though."

Phosphora wrinkled her brow with a frown, and Pit recognised the expression that came with deep thought. She spoke a few moments later.

"How did Lady Palutena react to you gaining your wings?"

"She was happy for me," Pit said, thinking the question strange. "Everyone was. Lady Palutena was the first person I told, too."

"Are you sure?" Phosphora pushed him.

"Of course I am," Pit said a little aggressively, defensive on behalf of his Goddess. "Why wouldn't she be happy for me? She would always tell me that she hoped I would get my wings one day, and that she was sorry she couldn't let me fly for any longer than five minutes at a time."

"And what have you been doing since you got them?"

Pit thought it was a ridiculous question and the expression on his face showed it.

"Flying".

Phosphora read him and rubbed his arm gently to calm him. "I know. I know, Pit, but think about this for a moment. Ever since you have been able to fly by yourself, you’ve been flying to and from Overworld to see me, and if you're not with me – there or here – you're usually exploring some far flung corner of Skyworld".

"I don't get what you're saying," Pit began to huff. "What's your point?"

"Pit, listen. I don't think I need to tell you that Lady Palutena cares for you; she favours you over any other angel in Skyworld. When you couldn’t fly by yourself, you were always with her. _Always._ _A_ nd not because she forced you to be there. You were with her because you wanted to be. I'm going to guess that began to change once you and I…grew more acquainted. I think that was the beginning of the problem."

" _What_ problem?" Pit said. "Nothing has changed, Phosphora. I still want to spend time with Lady Palutena. I will be loyal to her until the end of my days."

"You're wrong, Pit," she told him. " _Something_ has changed. Before you gained your wings, you depended on Lady Palutena to help you fly, and not only that but you depended on her to keep you safe. You trusted her to guide you truly, and never once did she let you fall. Perhaps what’s most important is that you gave yourself to her power and into her care willingly. You never begrudged the fact that you and you alone had to rely on her to fly. Yes, you may have groaned and complained when she teased you sometimes, but despite that you called to her time and again.

"Now that you can fly by yourself, that aspect of your relationship is gone. You don't need Lady Palutena any longer, Pit. Try to understand how important that was for her. She possessed something that only she could give you, and never used that fact to control you. Yes, you may have flown a few times by Lady's Viridi's power, but did it really feel the same? Did you trust her in the same way?  Only Lady Palutena could make you feel truly safe, and she would give her all to justify the trust you placed in her. Now? You depend on yourself. You have a sense of freedom that you never knew when you couldn't fly. You go wherever you wish whenever you wish.”

"So what?" Pit said, lifting his hands helplessly. "Do I have to give up my wings to fix all this?"

She held his gaze. "Even if you could do that, would you?"

Pit squirmed under the intensity of her eyes. "No," he blurted out eventually. "I _couldn't._ Not now."

"I believe Lady Palutena realises that as well. You've depended on her for so long. You _belonged_ to her. But then you got your wings, and…and well, I suppose I showed up too. I think she feels that you’re slipping away from her, Pit. You don't spend nearly as much time with her because you're spending it with me, or gallivanting all over the place. It doesn't paint the best picture, does it?"

Pit looked utterly dejected as she finished speaking. If he hadn't realised the implications of his actions beforehand, then she had most certainly just spelled it out plainly for him. He opened his mouth but not a word left it. He shook his head in confusion, and Phosphora glimpsed tears of frustration in his eyes before he blinked hard and looked away from her.

"What should I do?" he asked her, his tone desperate and eyes pleading her for an answer.

Perhaps if the circumstance were any different, she would have smirked at the fact that he was now, in this moment, dependent on _her._

"You need to talk to Lady Palutena," she told him. "You have to show her that despite the fact that certain things have changed in your relationship, she is still important to you."

"What about you?" he said, and to her puzzled expression he explained. "Lady Palutena has to accept that we are…um, close. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable here."

It was Phosphora's turn to look away.

"Pit, I appreciate the thought, but I think it's more important that you deal with your relationship with her first. We can worry about me later," she told him, smiling encouragement.

He opened his mouth to argue, but then they both saw the doors to the Temple open in the corners of their vision and the Goddess of Light emerge into the day. Both huddled close together and kept their heads down, not wanting to be noticed. Palutena appeared to spend a few moments talking with an angel before turning away from the Temple and, without the merest show of effort, propelling herself into the air. Angels turned their heads to watch her majestic form quickly disappear, and Pit and Phosphora heard the curious whispers that filled the streets. She poked him in the ribs as he turned to her.

"Go after her!" she urged him.

"You want me to follow her?" Pit said incredulously.

"Pit, you need to talk to her, and it's best that you do so in private," Phosphora said. "She can't be going far. Just follow her."

"I don't know…" Pit said uneasily.

"You have to," she told him. "The sooner you do this, the better. Do it for the sake of your relationship with her, Pit. You can't allow this to get any worse than it already has. Please."

Pit eventually sighed in reluctant resignation.

"Okay, fine," He winced pre-emptively. "I just hope Lady Palutena lets me live beyond my frantic apology for following her."

Despite herself, Phosphora burst into laughter. Quickly, and with a flush of heat colouring her cheeks, she leaned forward and kissed him chastely before energetically ushering him away.

 


	5. Chapter 5

Palutena sat upon a stool at the edge of the pool, a heady volume of steam rising from the water's surface as she gathered her lengthy locks into her hands and fashioned them into a thick knot at the back of her head. A towel was wrapped somewhat loosely around her form, threatening to slip away as it rested lightly at her hips. She didn't pay it any particular mind however; she was alone after all.

Her hair neatly tucked away, though several rebellious strands slipped from the knot and fluttered against the back of her neck, Palutena stood and approached the edge of the pool. The sound of her footsteps were light upon the floor as she smoothly removed her towel, folding it neatly and leaving it within reach as she sat down. She dipped her toes into the water, wincing a moment later and hurriedly withdrawing them. A Goddess she may have been, but that did not mean she was immune to heat. And this particular hot spring was indeed _quite_ warm.

She dipped her toes into the water once more. This time she endured its heat, waiting for a brief time so that her extremities could accommodate to it before fully entering the pool. The water was scalding, and for a moment her body locked up as her senses screamed at her to get out. She persevered however, her higher threshold for pain as a Goddess quickly kicking in and allowing her to dwell in the pool rather than fleeing from its embrace. Her sense of comfort gradually began to increase as the water's heat began to work its magic through her body. Slowly moving backwards and settling against the wall, Palutena's shoulders dropped as she began to feel the tightness eased from her muscles. Oh, how she had needed this.

With the burdens of Overworld rested squarely upon her, and the amount of pressing work mounting persistently over the course of the days and weeks following the end of the war with the Underworld, Palutena had been stressed. Her body felt stiff and tense, her shoulders and neck aching at every turn of her head. Her ears had begun to buzz with the sounds of angels and centurions coming to and fro to her throne room, delivering to her reports that she more often than not did not wish to hear. The desire to come here, to this secret place that no one save she and the sister she once ruled alongside knew about, had all but run its course time and again through her mind.

It had been one of the many secrets that she and Medusa had treasured, a far flung island cast so far to the corners of Skyworld that none would ever think to turn an eye in its direction. Medusa had been the one to find it, and she shared its existence with her soon afterwards. It was here, so long ago, that Palutena had found her love for hot springs; a gift from her beloved sister. The island bore three of such springs, each of them by peculiar but wholly natural means heated to deliciously warm temperatures – once one's bodies were attuned to the heat, of course.

She and Medusa gradually built a bathhouse to accommodate the three springs, one of them disappearing to this forgotten corner of their realm for hours at a time whilst the other remained at Skyworld's great, sprawling city. Together, they forged their secret getaway, and when circumstances permitted, they came here to spend precious moments together in harmony and peace.

Such actions were perhaps reckless, they knew, and even now Palutena heard the small whisper of caution in her ear. She pondered the risks of leaving Skyworld undefended – even if for a few moments. Of course, the potential threats to the realm were now significantly lessened in the wake of the war's end, but still a part of her worried. The greater part of her however, merely deemed once again that she needed this time to herself, and so she sank a little deeper into the water. With a sigh of comfort, she closed her eyes and slowly inhaled the subtle scents upon the air.

"Lady Palutena?"

The Goddess' eyes flashed open. The water rolled violently away as she gave a start of shock. She turned her head to the source of the voice, through the thick steam settled upon the air seeing the outline of the silhouette of an angel standing beneath the arch of the doorway.

"Pit?" she said, her voice a hiss of mingled surprise and anger. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?"

"I – I'm sorry, my Lady," the angel hurriedly apologised. "I…I followed you."

No. Anywhere, anywhere else but here and she thought that perhaps she would not have minded so much. But this place belonged to her now. It was her secret to keep, the memories that she and Medusa had made here hers to treasure. The anger that spread through her almost as thoroughly as the warmth of the pool lifted her to her feet, the chorus of water dripping from her form and returning to its source reaching every corner of the room.

"How dare you."

The heat of her sudden anger swept its warmth across her skin, and she remembered that she was naked. A small part of her wondered if Pit could see her. The steam was thick upon the air, and the dark silhouette of the angel appeared to have turned away. As he should have.

She was a Goddess, he simply an angel. He had no right to follow her. He certainly had no right to look upon her form. Even still, through her influence the clouds of steam thickened and obscured the room's details, even so far as to remove his silhouette from her sight. She turned away, her voice cold and powerful in a room thick with silence.

"Leave me."

He stammered his apology, his voice so fragile and desperate.

"Lady Palutena, I – I'm so sorry. I – I didn't mean to –"

" _Leave me!_ "

Her voice rang out, a piercing shout that filled the room with the searing flash of emotion. It bounced off the walls, the floor and the ceiling, ultimately returning to her and gracing her ear. She heard the power in her command, the hot anger that permeated her words. And she heard Pit flee from her. She heard the fear that fuelled his footsteps, the hitch of his voice as she chased him away. Her heart cried out after him.

_Oh Pit, I never meant to…_

She sank slowly into the water once more, but it did little to soothe the turmoil deep within her. Her eyes pointed low, she beheld her reflection upon its shimmering golden surface. A moment later, she pressed her hands to her face, wishing to see no more. She had not meant to shout at him, had not meant to make him run from her, afraid to dwell in her presence. She was not truly angry with him. No, she _was_ angry with him. Oh, she thought with frustration, she did not understand herself. This place, it meant so much to her, more than Pit could ever know.

He knew Medusa only as an ever increasingly bitter Goddess, a being who represented a malevolent and twisted version of the ideals he had been taught to uphold. But Palutena had known Medusa since the moment their sparks of life had come into being, and it was here in this far flung corner of Skyworld that the sisters had truly communed with each other, far from the presence of ever watching eyes. She was angry with Pit for following her, but truly she was upset with herself for her failure. The secret kept and treasured for so long was no more.

But what was done was done. She knew that she needed to remedy things with the angel. The reason she shouted at him was compounded by the existence of several dark emotions stirring sluggishly within her. She saw the deterioration of their relationship over the passing days and weeks and knew what it was she needed to do.

Her fingers curled and their nails pressed into the skin of her brow at the thought. Everything seemed to be spilling from a tightly bound container within her, walls crumbling beneath a flood of emotion that, try as she might, she could not hold back. There was so much _anger_ , and it was not only for Pit that she felt it.

_"You like Phosphora, don't you?" Palutena asked the angel as he sat opposite her._

_The angel paused as he lifted a round counter from the checkerboard, glancing up at her sheepishly._

_"Not really. Well…um, maybe."_

_"I see," she said carefully. Her question, however, had appeared to open the floodgates._

_"She's really cool, you know?" Pit said as he seemed to scrutinize the organisation of Palutena's pieces. "Perhaps…I suppose I like her."_

_"Why is that?" Palutena heard herself ask, watching Pit confidently misplace his piece._

_"Oh, well like I said, she's pretty cool. She's showed me a few neat ways to really improve my flying."_

_Palutena opened her mouth to speak as she picked up her own counter, allowing his mistake to go unannounced, but Pit apparently had not finished._

_"She likes to teach me some of the words you like to use too, Lady Palutena."_

_"Oh? Like what –"_

_"She helped me train with the Centurions last week as well."_

_Palutena lifted her brow. "Do you think that's wise –?"_

_"And she always brings me these sweet fruit from Lady Viridi's fortress," Pit continued animatedly. "I forget what they're called, but they're_ really _good."_

_Palutena sighed. "Alright, Pit. I get it –"_

_"Oh and yesterday? We – umm, we…we went to the hot springs together," Pit almost murmured as heat flushed his cheeks._

_Palutena was just a little exasperated by his interruptions by this point. "Pit, please just play the game."_

_But he didn't hear her. "I…she's just amazing, Lady Palutena. She's beautiful, smart, cool, fun…" he said slowly with a misted look to his eye. "I think I really like her."_

"Enough!" the Goddess' voice rang out once more, the word bursting from her lips with the fullness of her emotion behind it. If the walls themselves could have fled from her, they would have.

She pressed her back against the wall of the pool and her hands to her face. It was as though her shout were a key, and as she took shuddering breaths, she felt her anger begin to siphon away.

"Enough", she whispered, and this time to herself. She let her hands fall away and looked upon herself.

She had once asked herself a question as Pit bounced joyously around her throne room, a question that she had not dared to finish for she feared the answer. She asked herself that question now.

_Am I jealous?_

And she knew that she was.

She had had Pit all to herself; he was the self-proclaimed angel of the Goddess.

Hers. Hers alone. No one else's.

Even in the moments where he did not dwell at her side, he belonged to her. By his own volition, he was hers. And she needed him. Oh, how she needed him. He helped filled a void that she herself had created, twenty-five long years ago. He shared a relationship with her that no other angel or being alive could boast of, and she knew him better than he knew himself. That was why she had seen this all coming, from the moment she saw the sparks of attraction between he and Phosphora.

Where once his attentions had been only for her, slowly but surely they began to drift away. She looked on as her angel grew close to another. She watched his eyes spark to life whenever a fellow angel came to inform him that Phosphora had come to see him. He seemed so eager to leave from her presence. Once, he had desired to be nowhere else. She watched as he spent more and more of his time with Phosphora. He started to ask if he could visit Overworld in turn to see her. She allowed him to do so. She did not want to control him, but her heart began to grow anxious.

And so she started to lie to him.

It would not harm him to be away from Phosphora once in a while. _She_ needed him, not merely so that he could attend to his own duties. She simply needed him to be there, to know that he was close. She needed him. And then one day, he had burst into her throne room, no longer confined to the ground. She watched him circle around her with utter glee upon his face as he flapped his budding wings, and she knew from that moment that she had lost him. Avid curiosity, the budding seeds of love, and independency in all the things he had once done through her strength stole him from her, and all that she was left with was a bitterness that deepened with each day that passed her by. And now, it had led to this. Walls, figurative and literal, separated them. They separated her from her angel.

He was still her angel. How could she ever have thought that would change?

The water of the steaming pool churned as the Goddess lifted herself out of it. She sat at its edge as her feet trailed in the water, floating to and fro with the ripples born of her departure. Leaning upon the strength of her arms, she eventually lifted her face and looked towards the empty doorway. Her heart was pained, but that was not his fault. How could she blame him for embracing a freedom denied him since the moment he began his existence as an angel? How could she punish him for giving his heart to another? How could she have forgotten the love she held for him and struck fear of her into him?

She shook her head as she found her feet. Enough was enough.

"I must fix this."

* * *

Once more clothed and her hair left to flow free, Palutena emerged from the bathhouse. She cast a glance over her shoulder, with a wistful look admiring the work that she and her sister had done. As she turned back around, she saw the angel perched upon a broken column of stone near the edge of the island, his sandaled feet hovering above the ground. As she dried and dressed herself, a part of her had feared that the angel had fled from her entirely, returning to Skyworld's city or perhaps, as she had done, retreating to his own secret place.

She paused in her stride when she saw him. He looked so forlorn, his shoulders dropped low and his wings pressed flat against his back. She took a deep breath, steadying herself before approaching him. She saw his form stiffen as grass crunched beneath her heel.

"Lady Palutena?" he said, turning.

She came to a stop just behind the broken column, and the two of them held each other's eyes for a long moment. The air about them was not so much thick with tension as a sense of uncertainty. Eventually Pit looked away, casting his eyes to the ground.

"You're angry with me," he said softly, mournfully.

"No. Not anymore," Palutena replied gently.

She held out her hand to him. He lifted his head when she spoke and placed his hand in hers, sliding off the column and moving towards her. She pulled him wordlessly into her embrace.

The angel's arms slid around her body and his head settled at her chest. He began to tremble against her as she laid her hand against the side of his head and pushed her fingers into his thick hair. She felt tears splash against the swell of her breasts.

"Pit, don't," she pleaded him with a whisper, for she felt her own strength waning. Something deep within her chest was falling apart and allowing a rush of emotion to choke her throat. For as he drew a shuddering breath and whispered her name, Palutena knew what he was doing.

He was forgiving her.

She had not yet spoken a word to him and he was forgiving her. For all that she had pushed him away and built walls of indifference between them, he could forgive her, just like that. She realised it, understood it, and then broke beneath the weight of its truth. Gripping his hair, she shook as she placed an arm around his waist and pulled him close.

"You can't," she mourned, pressing her brow against his head. "You can't forgive me so easily."

But he did. He embraced her tightly and she could not escape it. He cried against her chest and her tears fell into his hair. They trembled against each other, overcome by their emotions and yet by each other's strength, they held each other up as their own legs grew weak. For a moment, they were neither Goddess nor angel. They became simply Palutena and Pit. A mother and her son locked in an embrace of unconditional love and forgiveness.

"I cherish you, Pit," Palutena whispered to him, "and I'm so sorry. I never meant…I never meant to push you away. I never meant to make you feel as though you could not approach me, to make you afraid to be in my presence. I never meant – I never meant…"

There were so many things she felt she needed to apologize for, so many words vying each to spill first from her lips that her tongue grew confused and fell utterly still. In the end, all that she could do was hold her angel close to her and allow her tears to fall. She held him as he shook against her, held him strong and tight even as the flow of his own tears began to dry. He did not try to part from her though. His embrace loosened, but he did not let go. Palutena, silent as her own tears ceased to fall, silent as she held his head against her chest and stroked his hair – she knew that she had to be the one to let go. She wished to embrace him for an eternity, to hold him against her like this until the winds of Time were no more, but alas she had to let him go. She _had_ to let him go.

Pit slowly lifted his head as he felt Palutena's arms loosen about him. He wiped his arm across his eyes as she held him at arm's length, her hands upon his shoulders. Blinking his vision clear, he found her smiling warmly at him, her head tilted to the side by the smallest of margins as she regarded him. He almost began to cry again when she spoke, but clenched his teeth behind tightly pressed lips and willed himself not to.

"I'm so proud of you," she told him in a whisper of complete sincerity. "You are not the same angel that came to the steps of my Temple almost too shy to even breathe in my presence so long ago. I must accept that, Pit. You have grown far beyond my imagination."

She brought her hand to his cheek, and he saw her blink hard as she stroked his skin.

"Look at you," she murmured. "You are the worthy commander of Skyworld's army, the courageous champion of humankind, and the brave and true soul who fights tirelessly for a peace that will stand the test of Time. And," she said, pinching his cheek and making him yelp, "you just so happen to be rather handsome."

"Ouch!" Pit winced, pulling away from her as her gaze sparkled with mischief and she chuckled. "Don't do that! I have sensitive skin," he whined.

"Mm. My apologies," she said. "We don't want to ruin that visage of yours for your special friend now, do we?"

"Visage?" he asked while rubbing his cheek, giving an 'oh' of understanding a moment later when Palutena helpfully drew a circle in the air around her face. "Wait, 'special friend'?"

"You and Phosphora, no?" she said. She lifted her hands and extended her pointer fingers, overlapping them into the shape of a cross and smiling at him. "I wonder what you two have been up to when you go to the hot springs together."

Pit felt a rush of heat through his face and was positive he had just blushed redder than a tomato.

"N-nothing!" he stammered out. "Just – you know – bathing. Together. In separate pools, of course," he added hastily.

"Of course", Palutena echoed, eyeing him mischievously. "Perhaps it is time I keep my all-seeing eye on you two in the future, hmm?"

"Nope. That won't be necessary," Pit said firmly, folding his arms.

"I'm sure," she laughed. "I do hope you're treating her right, lavishing her with gifts and poetry and the like. We women do like that sort of thing."

Pit scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I – uh…not always? Sometimes?" he tried, and then when Palutena arched her brow, "rarely?"

She shook her head and sighed. "Well, accept this as my first and last piece of free advice."

"How much will it cost next time?"

"That depends on what you want to know," Palutena replied, "and my mood. I'll also have to consider the positions of the sun and moon at the time of asking."

Pit stared for a long moment before she realised she was joking. They laughed together then, the air light and free around them. Eventually, Palutena grew quiet, turning away from him and seeming to regard the golden horizon. Pit noticed that her gaze, while happy, carried a certain weight to it that he could not identify.

"Pit," she spoke his name softly, "I need you to return to the city and let them know that I'll be returning myself shortly." She looked aside at him, "I'd rather them not panic at my absence, even if it is brief."

"Okay," Pit said, recognising despite the truth of her request that Palutena simply wanted to be alone for a time. "Will you be alright here, my Lady?"

"You don't have to call me that, Pit," she said, smiling. "Formality does not suit you. And yes, I will be fine."

He nodded his head in understanding, returning her smile. As he made to turn away, she called out to him one last time.

"Pit, I'd like you to give my sincere apologies to Phosphora also," she told him.

Pit was puzzled. "What for?"

But she only shook her head. "It's alright. She'll understand, I think."

Pit nodded, though not quite from understanding as much as acquiescence. He turned away once more, but something stopped him.

"I won't tell anyone about this place." he promised her. "It's important to you, isn't it?"

"It is," she said, and the smile upon her lips was sad. "Thank you, Pit."

Not knowing what more to say for he didn’t know what troubled her mind, Pit turned for the final time and walked to the edge of the island, leaping into the sky and taking flight. Palutena watched him until his form became too small for her eyes to distinguish. His wings trailed golden dust through the air. She turned back to the horizon, a stiff breeze stirring itself from slumber and beginning to push the clouds before its path. Her hair and the hem of her dress fluttered in its wake. Her eyes grew mournful as she looked out over the sky, losing their focus as she turned to the past.

She was alone once more. She had willingly let Pit go, physically and metaphorically speaking, but even as she had done so, she knew the cost. She had clung to him all these years because she had no one else. She had needed him at her side because she could not bear to be alone.

She missed Medusa dearly.

Sisters created to deal in light and darkness, to govern its power and oversee the existence of Man, she and Medusa had been born in each other's arms. Theirs was a love that none could contest with. Their existences were woven intrinsically deep. Palutena was Medusa as much as Medusa was her, and they were meant to exist together for all eternity. But her sister had grown hateful of Man, despising their existence and in time plotting to destroy them.

Palutena had begged – oh, how she had begged Medusa to cease her course of action. She begged Medusa to trust in their love, to trust in _her_ and rather than destroy Man let her work to correct that which Medusa found fault with within them. She would have done anything for her sister, anything, for she wished for nothing to pull them apart. But alas…

When Medusa had somehow returned, twenty-five years after Pit had slain her, Palutena's heart had secretly rejoiced. She knew not the means or the consequences, but she did not care for them. Her sister was returned to her. But it was not her sister, not truly. Medusa's mind was not what it once was, her memories handpicked and reshuffled by her puppeteer, Hades. Medusa did not know her, not how she had once known her. It had been so hard for her to lead Pit against Medusa to ultimately destroy her once more, but Palutena knew deep down that her sister had died long ago. And so now here she was, more alone than she had ever felt in her life.

While it was true that Pit would remain in Skyworld, she knew that he would eventually devote the fullness of his time to Phosphora outside of his duties. She was happy for him, truly. He would always be her angel, and she knew that she could always call on him, but he had come into his own and so she had to stand aside and let him run free. She could only trust in him to learn from the many lessons she had tried to teach him. He was no more dependent on her.

She sighed and lowered her head, closing her eyes. Despite her sending Pit back to the city, she knew its people would be anxious for her return. There was still much work for her to do regarding the rebuilding of Overworld. She still needed to seek a sure method to win over Viridi's help. Her work would occupy her and distract her solemn thoughts for now, but beyond that? She did not know. Right now, she considered it best that she did not know.

Turning away from the horizon and gracing the bathhouse with one last lingering look, Palutena lightly took to the air. She remained poised in the sky for a long moment, reminiscent before she steeled herself and enveloped the island in its entirety in her power.

She flung it to the stars.

 


End file.
